UFC president Dana White praised Paddy Pimblett’s durability following his unanimous decision loss to Justin Gaethje in Saturday’s UFC 324 main event in Las Vegas. 

“I didn’t know Paddy Pimblett had a chin like that till tonight,” said White to reporters, including The Mac Life, post-fight inside the T-Mobile Arena. “And, yeah, an absolute dogfight and a war. And much respect to both guys. Apparently, [Gaethje is] 100 percent. So, we sent Paddy Pimblett straight to the hospital, and we were going to send Gaethje, too. And Gaethje’s like, ‘Believe me, I’ve been in plenty of wars. I’m good.’ So, as far as we know right now, he’s healthy.”

While complimentary of Pimblett’s toughness, White also suggested that the Liverpool fighter could have adjusted his tactics during the fight.

“I don’t think that his gameplan was the greatest,” White admitted.

“Obviously, tonight he showed he is tough, he is durable, and especially against Gaethje, and you’re eating those punches from him. It’s one thing to say, ‘Listen, I’m going to come out, I believe in my durability, I believe in my chin, and I’m going to go toe to toe with this guy.’ But when it starts to not work, at some point, you’ve got to say, ‘You know what? It’s the third round. I got two rounds left. I might want to try to take him down and submit him here.”

The bout adds another notable chapter to Gaethje’s reputation for gruelling, fan-friendly fights, while Pimblett’s showing against a seasoned contender is likely to factor into discussions about his future matchups in the lightweight division.